The main symptom of urinary incontinence is a loss of bladder control that causes you to pass urine when you do not mean to. However, when and how this happens varies depending on the type of urinary incontinence you have.
Common types of urinary incontinence
Over 9 out of 10 cases of urinary incontinence are stress incontinence or urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence is when you leak urine when your bladder is put under extra sudden pressure, for example when you cough. It is not related to feeling stressed. Other physical activities that may cause urine to leak include:
- sneezing
- laughing
- heavy lifting
- exercise
The amount of urine passed is usually small, but stress incontinence can also cause you to pass larger amounts, particularly if your bladder is very full.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence, or urgency incontinence, is when you leak urine and feel a sudden and very intense need to pass urine. You are unable to delay going to the toilet. There is often only a few seconds between the need to urinate and the release of urine.
Your need to pass urine may be triggered by a sudden change of position, or even by the sound of running water. You may also pass urine during sex, particularly when you reach orgasm.
If you have urge incontinence, you may need to pass urine very frequently. You may need to get up several times during the night.
Less common types of urinary incontinence
Mixed incontinence
Mixed incontinence is when you have symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence. For example, you may leak urine if you cough or sneeze, and also experience very intense urges to pass urine.
Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB)
Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is similar to urge incontinence as it causes an urgent and frequent need to pass urine. However, many people with OAB just have symptoms of urgency and frequency and do not have incontinence as well.
Overflow incontinence
Overflow incontinence, also called chronic urinary retention, occurs when the bladder cannot completely empty when you pass urine. This causes the bladder to swell above its usual size.
Overflow incontinence is common in men who have an enlarged prostate gland. This is a small gland located between the penis and the bladder, which can obstruct the bladder if it is enlarged.
If you have overflow incontinence, you may pass small trickles of urine very often. It may also feel as though your bladder is never fully empty and you cannot empty it even when you try.
Total incontinence
Urinary incontinence that is severe and continuous is sometimes known as total incontinence. It usually occurs:
- as a result of a bladder disorder that is present from birth
- after surgery
- following an injury
Total incontinence may cause you to constantly pass large amounts of urine, even at night. Alternatively, you may pass large amounts of urine sometimes and leak small amounts in between.
